Freedom
by mrs ackles
Summary: Freedom is a cool thing


**FREEDOM**

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel they belong to two idiots that thought that after Freak Nation that it was over. Yeah right! anyway it belongs to them (the injustice!!).

A/N: I wrote this when I was bored.

I guess what they say is true that you don't know what you have until it's gone, well my thing would be freedom.

I thought that after we had escaped Manticore in '09 that it would be over the lying, the killing and the dreams of waking up with your clothes dripping with sweat because you had just seen the face of somebody you had killed tormenting you subconsciously, but you know that it is all your fault that their blood has stained your hands.

But I learned a long time ago to not let the dreams control me or take over my life. Everything was going fine, I had friends who actually gave a damn about me, and a job even though it barely scraped minimum wage it was still a job and it put food on the table.

Then Manticore captured Tinga, and I flipped I don't know what came over me, I guess I do know what came over me, my stupidity.

Thinking that I could save her by myself, that I didn't need anyone else when really I was yearning for some one to give me a helping hand, take the pressure off even if it was just for a little, for a few minutes it was all I needed to help me think straight, or to at least have a plan, but no, I went in all guns blazing, good ol' Max style.

The moment I saw her cooped up in that water tank, I knew it was all over for her they had drained her dry they had taken away her fire, her energy and left a lifeless and soul-less shell of a great fighter and mother.

I fell to my knees, I knew that there was no way in hell that I was leaving there alive they wouldn't allow it not for the second time. So I gave up, it was too late I had failed her like I did my brother.

If I said that I fitted in after they had caught me and that they all accepted me back into the fold I would be telling a lie.

They hated me, every opportunity they got they tried to get rid of me but I wouldn't give in so easily I wasn't about to be beaten by my own people.

I was going to save them even if they don't think that it will be a good idea right now they will understand that I am doing this for them later.

When they saw that I was made of stronger stuff than before they laid out the punishment thick and fast.

Re-indoctrination was the worst, they tried to get so much information out of me but I made myself forget the least important memories the useless one's that I didn't need taking up valuable space.

But sometimes they got through to me the drugs were just too powerful sometimes it took all I had for my memories to stay hidden and when they were done with me they would just throw me into my cell to blame and myself for my weakness and sleep with a tear stained face.

When trying to get things out of me didn't work out too well they decided that they would put thoughts and images into my head and make me believe that my siblings were traitors, that they after we had escaped that we went our separate ways for a reason they couldn't stand the sight of me.

Which hurt.......a lot.

But seeing as it didn't kill me I guess it only made me stronger and more determined to bring them down for good.

For the extra kick in the teeth when it was time to "breed" they decided to pair me off with some one who looks exactly like my brother, for a nanosecond I actually thought it was Ben until I saw his eyes they weren't the same, his had lost the innocence that Ben used to have before Manticore messed with his head.

Manticore must have lost the plot thinking that I was going to sleep with someone who was identical to brother.

I saw it as incest, it would just be wrong but I couldn't help myself, there as something about him that had caught my eye.

I was like a moth to a flame, I knew that it would only end in tears but I couldn't control the desire in me to find out what was behind those hazel eyes, even though I would make sure nothing would ever happen between us I just had to find out what happened after we had left Manticore.

So we got talking, actually I got talking about my Units reason for trying to escape. I don't know why but I felt like I could trust him not to say a word to the hierarchy of Manticore about my treason.

We got to know each other, slowly but surely and he let me in on his failed mission with this girl called Rachel or something.

I felt so honoured to be able to see the softer side of him that he had not let anyone see before.

As time grew he reminded me more and more of Ben so this is what my older brother would have looked like all grown up.

I let him in on the secret about Ben's death that I had never told another soul and he did not judge me or look at me any differently.

He decided to join me in my bid to bring Manticore down again and let out all the 'freaks' even the anomalies.

Even though I was shit scared of how they would behave in the outside world and how the people on the outside would perceive them but we had to give them that chance as well even if they didn't look 'normal'.

But what is normal anyway just some persons stereotypical view of how we should all look like so why are their different races, colours, people with disabilities people without.

So I guess there is no normal person anywhere just different people trying to fit in this crazy world that we all live in.

In another five minutes my world will change, I will be free again to taste the not so fresh Post-Pulse air but it will be worth it to see my friends and co-workers again.

I never thought that I would say this but I am going to be looking forward to hearing Normal's bip bip bipping again and the loud thumping in Crash on a Friday night where Sketchy would be on the floor now chatting up an invisible chick who falls for his lines, and O.C would be standing next to some hot lickety boo as she liked to call them working her magic.

Then there would be me bored out of my mind at Logan's ranting about the latest evil doer to the society if you can even call it that, that we live in and complaining about the noise which I never got because I was the one with superior hearing and it didn't bother me in the slightest.

In two minutes I will be able to able to roam free without restraints or shackles around my ankles tying me down. I will be free to do as I please without having to watch my back 24/7, wondering whether I have made a huge error under the watchful eyes of Manticore.

It's now or never everything that I have been planning must go down without a hitch otherwise they will never let me out of Psy-Ops. It all counts on this one moment of my life let's hope I don't screw it up.

As I am racing down the hall silently to my destination I can hear my heart beating faster and louder in my ears, I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins urging me to go faster. My legs responding to the messages being sent through. My hands are shaking with fear, trepidation and pure excitement I was finally going to be free.

As I neared to Alec's cell I silently whispered for him to come out that it was time, as the door handle moved downwards the messages started again the blood rushing into every part of my body like fuel waiting to be burned up.

"Ready Max?" Alec asked using my name instead of a designated number.

"As ready as I'll ever be come on lets go." I said more for myself than him.

We rushed through the building like our lives depended on it which really I guess it did. To the human eye we were just indistinct shapes moving seriously fast.

"Max stop!" Alec whispered.

"What, what is it?" I asked impatiently

"Listen." He answered.

I could hear Renfro's shrill voice talking to someone.

"Listen closely, that stupid Eyes person is leaking out information about this place, now we need to get everything important out of here and then it's bye bye Manticore with all the necessary information on this disk I wont need these pieces of meat any longer.

"That bit.." I said cut off by Alec's hand covering my mouth.

"Max we...**you** have worked too hard to get here and throw it all away now follow me" I said in a hushed tone relieving my anger for the mean time.

"Ahh the perks of being the C.O well you know before.." He said his eyes clouding

"Yeah I know," I say giving him a small smile which seemed to comfort him "anyway what is this place?" I asked looking around at the unfamiliar four walls.

"Oh just some place I come to get away from the hustle and bustle of Manticore anyway it's next door where all controls are and a loudspeaker to get everyone's attention that our beloved Manticore hierarchy wants to pull the plug on this place." He said with a smug.

"Yeah all well and good but they won't listen to me remember I am an 09er which seems to mean traitor as well." I say with a grim smile.

"Yeah I know that but have you forgotten about me, they already think I'm God not that I disagree or anything." He said with a cheeky grin. "And your little removing blocks out bit by bit gave me a good way of making an escape just in case we needed to." He finished.

"Right so what I'm I gonna do?" I asked feeling kind of redundant.

"Right..umm well we are going to have to alert the anomalies as well..." He said quietly looking my way.

I could feel the air and energy being sucked out of me with that one word 'Anomalies'

"Hey Max," he started getting closer to me taking my hand in his "they aren't as bad as Manticore make out they just look a little different that's all." He said looking into my eyes.

"Yes but Ben said.." I started only to be cut off.

"Ok answer me this had Ben ever seen an anomaly?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No but he would never lie to us..he just wouldn't "I said tears welling up in my eyes.

"Of course he wouldn't lie to you maybe he just wanted to protect you and the rest you know just in case." He said with a small sincere smile.

"Right ok you're right they just look a bit different," I answered wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "any tips, do's and don'ts?" I asked.

"Yeah well when I was in Psy-Ops for the Berrisford Assignment," I noticed his eyelid get a little lower. "I got talking..well he got talking anyway he's quite tall and looks like a dog but he seemed quite nice just say that you know X5-494 he should recognise me" He answered.

"Seems you are very popular" I say with a wink which produced a blush from Alec, "Right so give me directions so we can get this bitch over with." I said focusing on my new mission.

TBC. Please Read and Review :)


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